


when i see you in my eyes and hold you in my arms

by ActivelyWeird



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Baking, Canon Compliant, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Fluff, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28313706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActivelyWeird/pseuds/ActivelyWeird
Summary: Baking cookies is always more fun with another person (especially if you're Renjun and that person is Jaemin).--For NCTV Secret Santa 2020
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Na Jaemin
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32
Collections: NCTV Secret Santa 2020





	when i see you in my eyes and hold you in my arms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fortnightflower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortnightflower/gifts).



> Huge thank you to the mods of this event for being so supportive and helpful, and for holding this event.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the fic! 
> 
> Title from From Home by NCT U.

"Sorry Renjun, I won't be coming back tonight. Donghyuck dragged me to the 127 dorms to hang out with the hyungs. Why don't you ask Chenle if you guys can hang out instead?" 

Renjun sighed. "Chenle is back at home, and he took Jisung with him. I don't know where Jeno is either before you ask." 

Mark hummed, the sound crackling slightly through the cell phone. "Well, why don't you ask Jaemin? I think he mentioned that he didn't have any Christmas plans so he's probably still at the dorm right?" 

"I mean, yeah he's here but hyung–," before Renjun could continue explaining why baking with Jaemin was absolutely not a possibility Mark cut him off. 

"Sorry Renjun, Huyck just knocked over the snacks, I better go help. Have a good Christmas!" Mark said before abruptly ending the call. 

Renjun sighed as he brought the phone down from his ear. Baking cookies by himself was pretty pathetic and not exactly his idea of a "good Christmas". 

Seeing no other option, Renjun pulled out an apron from the drawer and pulled it over himself. Might as well get started so he could enjoy these cookies tonight, he figured.

It wasn't that he didn't want to ask Jaemin for help. In fact, Jaemin had probably made cookies more times than Renjun had (well, anyone in NCT has probably made cookies more than zero times to be fair). Having an experienced partner would definitely make the process much easier. 

But blushing and stuttering while baking wasn't exactly conducive towards good cookies. And Renjun would absolutely do that if Jaemin was around so, therefore, no Jaemin. It was that simple. 

Or at least, it was that simple until Renjun felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around him while he tried to stir the sugar and butter together. 

Renjun jumped for a second before quickly recognizing the delicate snow pattern of Jaemin's favorite winter sweater. 

"Nana, what are you doing?" he scolded lightly while trying to keep a blush off his face. "You never know, I could've been holding a knife or something." 

"Sorry hyung," Jaemin giggled, "but I think I'd notice a knife. Anyway just wanted to see what you were doing because it is so boring when no one's around. Can't believe you're making cookies without me." 

And fuck, did Jaemin sound upset now? Renjun didn't mean to exclude him–well, he did, but not in a mean way, more so for Renjun's sanity–but making Jaemin cry was not on his holiday plans for the year. 

"Uh, that's because they were supposed to be a surprise. Yeah, a surprise because I just… felt like it?" he said, hoping Jaemin would buy it. 

Thankfully, Jaemin being the unsuspecting person he was, easily accepted the lie for what it was. "Well, then I'm sorry for ruining the surprise. I guess now that I'm here I could help though!" 

"Sure, why not? I have no idea what I'm doing anyway.” That was a flat out lie, Renjun literally had a recipe print out right in front of him. He almost regretted letting Jaemin help when the younger's arms unwrapped from around him, but he pushed that thought to the back of his mind as went back to slowly stirring the sugar and butter together.

"So, what type of cookies are we making?" Jaemin asked, tying his own apron on. 

"Ah, just some simple sugar cookies. But I got some of those fun icings and things, maybe we could decorate them after?" he said, his voice turning hesitant towards the end. Damn it, why did being around Jaemin always turn him into some sort of nervous wreck? 

It was good that the rest of the Dreamies weren't there, otherwise, they'd definitely have picked up on it and never let him live it down. 

"Sounds good! I can start mixing the dry ingredients then," Jaemin suggested, immediately moving to stand next to Renjun in front of the counter. 

Jaemin began measuring out the flour, carefully scooping some of the flour into a measuring cup with a spoon.

"Man, it's been such a long time since I've baked cookies. But I'm glad that this time it's with Renjun-hyung!" Jaemin said. "I feel like we barely ever spend time together anymore."

_Because otherwise I'd hug you, and I'm not sure I'd want to let go._

"Ah yeah, well we've all been busy haven't we? And hey, we're together right now, and that's what counts, right?" Maybe it wasn't exactly the type of together that Renjun had wanted, but he'd take what he could get. 

Jaemin smiled brightly. "That's true. Okay, I got all the dry ingredients mixed. Should I combine them while you get the tray?"

Renjun hummed his agreement while he turned away to get a tray. Carefully covering it with parchment paper, he brought it over back to the counter. 

"Thanks, hyung! And wow, you even covered it with the baking paper. I wasn't sure you even knew what that was," Jaemin teased. 

"Hey!" Renjun said, affronted. "I do know something… or at least, I've watched Taeyong-hyung do it enough times to know it." 

Jaemin nodded sagely. "Taeyong is the true baker among us all, you're not wrong. Now all that's left is shaping the cookies. That's the best part honestly, just as fun as decorating but less messy."

"That's true. Maybe we could each shape our own half of the dough? Just to make it fun." 

"Oh, that sounds Iike a great idea! Here hyung, you stand here and do the right section and I'll do the left," Jaemin instructed, gently pushing Renjun to stand in his designated spot. 

The two of them begin slowly working in tandem. At first, they both started out simple with basic circle-like shapes and numerous lopsided squares. Soon, however, they began getting adventurous. 

Jaemin tried to shape the letters N, C, And T out of the cookie dough, with moderate levels of success. He kept urging Renjun to make more unique shapes, but so far the best Renjun had created was a slightly misshapen star (if a star had 6 points, that is). 

"Hey, I need to use the bathroom actually. Could you place the cookies in the oven?" Jaemin asked. He had finished his portion of the cookie dough whereas Renjun still had a small amount left. 

"Sure, I've got it," he said, and Jaemin untied his apron quickly before leaving the kitchen. 

With the last bit of his dough, Renjun carefully shaped a heart cookie, making sure its shape was distinct enough to hopefully not deform into a circle while baking. 

_That one is for Jaemin._

Placing the cookies into the oven, he set the timer for 12 minutes before quickly cleaning up so he could pull out the icings. 

If Renjun was being honest, it was nice baking with Jaemin, and not at all awkward like he thought it would've been. Somehow, even despite his crush for him, Jaemin was just such a comforting and kind presence, it was seemingly impossible to be awkward around him. 

Maybe that's why Renjun got the confidence to make a heart cookie. Or maybe he was just completely crazy. Either way, he'd find out in 12 minutes it seemed. 

Soon enough, Jaemin came back from the bathroom. "Wow, those cookies smell amazing! I could smell them even from the bedrooms," he commented. 

"Well, hopefully, they taste as good as they smell," Renjun said. 

"If they don't, that'd be so disappointing," Jaemin said. "Especially since we made them together." 

"Then we can order cookies from a bakery together if they fail, and we'll still have gotten cookies together in the end," Renjun laughed. 

"That's true," Jaemin acquiesced. 

The conversation ended there but the silence was comfortable between them. They quietly scrolled through their phone's, Renjun quickly replying to some pictures of Daegal from Chenle and ignoring the messages from Mark asking him if he was baking with Jaemin or not. 

(The message from Taeyong inviting him to come and bake cookies in the 127 dorms if he didn't want to bake alone didn't go ignored. It was nice to know that Mark cared.)

The timer of the oven going off quickly had them both putting down their phones. Renjun grabbed one of the oven mitts and carefully pulled open the oven door. 

"Wow, they look great!" he said as he carefully pulled out the tray and set them down. 

"Yeah, pretty amazed honestly. And the shapes didn't even mess up that much," Jaemin said. 

"Amazed?" Renjun scoffed. "No need to be amazed when you've got me in charge of baking operations," he said jokingly. 

"Haha, of course, baking expert Renjun. How could I have assumed anything but excellent quality from you? But in all seriousness, they do look good."

Suddenly Jaemin reached out for one of the cookies. "Hey, I don't remember this one being here…" and Renjun immediately turned to see Jaemin holding the heart cookie. 

Well, this wasn't exactly how Renjun had planned this to go. 

"I- it's a heart cookie," Renjun said. 

"I can see that. Did you make it? What for?" Jaemin asked.

"Well… for you," Renjun said. "I… made it for you," he repeated. "Because you're special to me. And… I love you," he whispered the last sentence, almost hoping that Jaemin didn't hear him. 

The silence lasted for an uncomfortable few seconds, seconds that seemed like years to Renjun, but without warning, Jaemin began laughing.

At first, a quiet laugh that Renjun could barely hear over his pounding heart but then suddenly Jaemin was doubled over laughing, still holding Renjun's cookie. 

Either he seriously fucked up or Jaemin suddenly didn't understand Korean. Renjun wasn't sure what was the better of the two options. 

Finally, Jaemin spoke. "I can't believe I spent all day making an elaborate card to give you and you just confessed your love with a cookie. I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at you this is just ridiculous." He quickly straightened up however and placed the cookie back on the tray. 

"Sorry, I shouldn't have laughed but Renjun, come here," and without warning Renjun was enveloped in Jaemin's warm arms, his own arms naturally coming up to return the hug. 

"I love you too Renjun. I love you more than you probably know, and God, I spent all day making a card with glitter and everything to give to you. That's why this is so funny to me, but trust me Renjun, I love you." 

"I- I- you were going to confess? To me? I can't believe this."

Jaemin chuckled lightly. "I can't believe this either." He pulled away from Renjun. 

"That's my answer by the way, to the cookie," he held it up once again. 

"I can't believe a heart cookie is better at expressing feelings than I am," Renjun grumbled.

"Come on, it's not the cookie's fault. Now, we still have to decorate them and I call decorating the heart solely in pink frosting." 

And if their cookies were messy because they held each other's hands while decorating, well, no one needed to know that.

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter/Tumblr @ activelyweird


End file.
